FilmJudge - Rebecca

REVIEW

Rebecca
1940
Certificate: PG | Runtime: 130 | Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, Judith Anderson

While on holiday, a beautiful young woman (Fontaine) meets the mysterious and recently widowed Maxim de Winter (Olivier). She is fascinated by him, and after a short period of courtship she agrees to marry him. Upon arrival back in England, the couple move into Maxim's gigantic Cornwall mansion, Manderlay. However, Maxim's new wife finds that Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, has a mysterious hold on all the staff, particularly the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Anderson).

Every time I watch Rebecca, I never fail to marvel at how wonderfully engrossing it is. There's a real sense of mystery that pervades the film as, like Maxim's new wife, we're never entirely sure what's really going on. The performances are all very strong indeed, and Hitchcock's gift for creating atmosphere never eludes him. In fact, it's a testament to his skills as a director that the film still seems remarkably fresh, and even works well on repeat viewings.

I tried to think of a clever adjective to describe Fontaine's performance, but it actually suffices to say that she's simply lovely. What she brings to Maxim's new wife is so important in making the film work. We feel sorry for the character, not just because she's been thrust into a new life with a rather cranky husband and is surrounded creepy staff, but because she's clearly trying so hard to fit in. She's polite, charming and incredibly careful whenever she does anything, and yet she cannot make Maxim or the staff reveal anything about Rebecca or the history of Manderlay. She feels isolated from the man she loves, and this makes her a figure of sympathy as well as contributing to the brilliant sense of unease the whole film has.

Olivier's performance is interesting, largely because I think it's very easy to read the wrong way. At first glance his Maxim comes across as rather flat and overly icy, but this coldness is crucial because it belies Maxim's secretive side. This allows us to share in his wife's frustrations, while Olivier's subtle gestures hint at the more complex nature of the character. The supporting cast is also wonderful and is filled with distinguished faces, like George Sanders as Rebecca's cousin, and Nigel Bruce as Major Giles Lacy, one of Maxim's friends. Florence Bates is also hilarious as the nosey gossip Mrs. Van Hopper.

But it's Anderson who brings the real sense of menace to the film. Her performance is absolutely chilling, and it's completely understandable why the new Mrs. de Winter feels so uneasy around her. Mrs. Danvers is sort of character who could be a disaster in the wrong hands, but the way Hitchcock manipulates scenes to give the character a creepier edge is absolutely fantastic. For example, very rarely does she appear to walk into shot - she just appears there, suddenly. Similarly, Anderson is largely shot from the waist up, so as to give the illusion that Mrs. Danvers glides around the house. In fact, the camera trickery that Hitchcock would use in so many of his later films is very much in evidence here.

Aside from the unnerving atmospheric aspects of the film, what also makes it so suspenseful and gripping is that it twists and turns with such glee. There are several big twists, none of which feel like cheating or manipulation, and these serve to suck us deeper into the story. What's more, each twist brings with it an element of doubt which further absorbs the audience.

There are films today that try to emulate what Rebecca does, and most of them fail spectacularly. It's wonderfully acted and brilliantly directed, and there's also a timeless quality to the film. It's still creepy, it's still unnerving, and it's still absolutely enthralling.

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